Lamp socket and terminal

ABSTRACT

A lamp socket for receiving an easily replaceable lamp bulb, comprising a plastic housing having a pair of opposing terminals extending therethrough for receiving the base of the lamp bulb therebetween to make both mechanical and electrical contact therewith, and mounting means integrally formed with a sidewall of the housing for snapping the lamp socket onto a mounting tab extending from a panel. A first embodiment of mounting means includes a resilient arm having a lock tab at the free end thereof for insertion into an aperture in the panel mounting tab, and a second embodiment includes a pair of opposing arms and a nib extending therebetween from one wall of the housing. The arms hold the panel tab against the housing wall and the nib is received in the aperture of the panel tab to retain the socket on the panel.

ates atent 11113,577,11

72 Inventor BrunoBaumanis 3,283,286 11/1966 Webbetal 339/145RiverForest,lll. 3,335,387 8/1967 Mueller 339/125X 211 ApplNo. 751,0793,417,367 12/1968 Daytonetal. 339/145 1 1 Filed FOREIGN PATENTS m i g l713,458 8/1954 GreatBritain 339/126R Downers Grove, 111. PrimaryExaminer-Richard E. Moore Attorney-Olson, Trexler, Wolters & Bushnell[54] LAMP SOCKET AND TERMINAL ABSTRACT: A lamp socket for receiving aneasily replacea- 6 Claims, Drawing Figs.

ble lamp bulb, comprising a plastic housing havmg a pair of [52] US. Cl339/125 pposing terminals extending thereth 'ough for receiving the ClH011 13/60 base of the lamp bulb therebetween to make both mechanical OfSearch and electrical cgntact therewith and mounting means in- 8, 60,59,50, 17, 205; 248/71, (inquired), 217,

tegrally formed with a sidewall of the housing for snapping the220.5,223;24/(1nquired), 73-7, 81.7, 73 (SC) lamp socket onto a mountingtab extending from a panel. A first embodiment of mounting meansincludes a resilient arm [56] References cued having a lock tab at thefree end thereof for insertion into an UNITED STATES PATENTS aperture inthe panel mounting tab, and a second embodiment 3,027,537 3/1962 Hess eta1 339/217X includes a pair of opposing arms and a nib extending2,581,481 1/1952 Hartman et a1. .1 151/41.75 therebetween from one wallof the housing. The arms hold the 3,060,401 /1962 Fraser 339/125 paneltab against the housing wall and the nib is received in 3,253,084 5/1966Taylor 174/52 the aperture of the panel tab to retain the socket on thepanel.

8 K /0 2 59 .47 l z 5 4 Q/ \71 m 75? 70 65 i 64 46; Z1

l 4Z 1 .l' A $9 upper end of the housing LAMP SOCKET AND TERMINALBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally tolamp sockets and more particularly to those lamp sockets which aremountable on the chassis of a unit of electrical equipment.

Conventionally, in the case of automobiles, high fidelity recordplayers, radios, television receivers, and the like, small lamps areused to illuminate dials, etc., or to indicate that the equipment isfunctioning. Usually these small lamps are the type which have athreaded or a bayonet-type base and are screwed or twisted into acomplementary socket which has been fastened to the chassis of theequipment by means of rivets or screws.

Fastening a lamp socket in the above-described manner requires highinstallation costs and is time consuming. In addition, the placement ofthese socket and lamp arrangements often is such that they are virtuallyinaccessible once the unit is completed. Consequently, when the timearrives to change a burned out lamp, it becomes a major undertaking.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention aplastic lamp housing is provided. Terminals which are preattached bycrimping to lead wires are inserted into the housing and snapped intoplace with the wires extending from the housing. The ends of theterminals opposite to the lead wires are configured for engagement witha lamp inserted into the housing.

The housing is provided with an integral lateral resilient struc-- turefor latching onto a mounting panel.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of this invention to provide a newand'improved lamp socket which is easily and quickly mounted on thechassis of a unit of electrical equipment and which accommodates a lampwhich is easily replaceable.

' It is another object of this invention to provide a lamp socket of theabove-described type which is snapped onto a chassis and receives a lampwhich is inserted .thereinto.

It is yet another. object of this invention to provide a lamp socket ofthe abovedescribed type which includes a snap-in mounting tab forinsertion into an aperture in the chassis of a unit of electricalequipment.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a lamp socketwhich accommodates a glass base, push in-pull out lamp which isinexpensive to produce and replace.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A better understanding of the presentinvention and its organization and construction may be had by referringto the description below in conjunction with the accompanying drawingswherein:

' FIG. l is an exploded perspective view of a lamp socket, lamp andmounting 'panel tab according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of the lamp socket, mating lamp andmounting tab of FIG. I shown in an assembled condition;

FIG. 3 is a bottom end view of the lamp socket of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a side sectional view of an alternative embodiment of a lampsocket mounted on a panel mounting tab, according to the invention; andFIG. 5 is a side plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to the drawings in more detail, a lampsocket, indicated generally by the numeral 10, is shown in FIGS. 1-3thereof. The lamp socket comprises a one-piece, molded plastic housing12 including four interconnected, rectangularly shaped sidewalls I4, l6,l8 and 20, respectively, in rectangular section, and a pair of end walls22 and 24. Two opposing sidewalls, 16 and 20, extend outwardly from theto form projections 26 and 28,

respectively, the space 30 therebetween providing protection or acovering for a lamp 32 received therein, (FIGS. 1 and 2). A cavity 34 inthe upper end wall 24 and extending into housing 12, is provided toreceive the base 31 of lamp 32 which is mounted therein.

A pair of spaced-apart terminal-receiving apertures 36 and 38 extendinto lower end wall 22 through the housing 12 and open into cavity 34. Apair of flat terminals 40and 42 received therein, respectively, extendsoutwardly into cavity 34 to make an electrical connection with the lampterminals 44 and 46 at the base 31 of the lamp 32.

The flat terminals 40 and 42 of the socket are separate and snap intoplace in respective apertures in the housing 12. The inserted ends 70and of the terminals extend into cavity 34 and are V-shaped, with theedges 71 and 73, respectively, thereof being in opposing relation toreceive the base 31 of lamp 32 therebetween.

Lamp bulb 32 is of the type having an integrally formed glass base 31and head 37, with a pair of terminals extending from head 31 thereofthrough the base and turned back across the recesses therein. Upon theinsertion of the lamp base into cavity 34, the base is engaged by theopposing terminal ends with edges 71 and 73 thereof extending intorespective recesses of the lamp base, to hold the lamp in place and alsomaking both a mechanical and electrical connection with the terminalsthereof. The lamp is easily replaceable, a bad lamp is merely pulledfrom cavity 34 and a new lamp is inserted therein.

Each of the terminals 40 and 42 includes a tab 48 and 50, respectively,each of which upon insertion of a respective terminal into acorresponding aperture in the housing, engages a shoulder portion 52 and54, respectively, molded into the housing. This prevents the terminalsfrom being inadvertently pulled from the housing via end wall 22. Eachof the free ends of the terminals includes a crimp connector forconnecting the terminals to external circuitry via wires 75 and 77, tosupply current for the energization of lamp 32. While a crimp connectoris provided herein, itis to be understood that any suitable means ofconnecting a wire to the terminal may be used.

A second pair of wall projections 56 and 58 extends outwardlyfrom-sidewalls l4 and I8 and parallel thereto, respectively, one on eachside of wall 20 at right angles thereto, and a third, medial wall 60extends outwardly from the surface of wall 20 a distance equal to thatof the extensions 56 and 58 and in parallel relation thereto. Whileextensions 56 and 58 are substantially the length of the walls 14 and18, respectively, the third, medial wall 60 is substantially shorter. AU- shaped base support 62 is formed at the upper end of housing 12 (FIG.3) and extends outwardly from wall 20 between extensions 56 and 58, andin alignment with medial wall 60 as shown in FIG. 2. Formed with thebight 64 of the U-shaped base support 62 and extending outwardlytherefrom substantially parallel to wall 20, or perpendicular totheplane of the U-shaped base support, and toward medial wall 60, is aresilient arm 66. The arm 66 includes a lock tab 67 extending therefrominwardly toward wall 20. The lock tab 67 includes an inclined camsurface 65 on one end and a shoulder portion 69 at the opposite endthereof which is adapted for snapping into an aperture 68 in a matingpanel tab 70 connected to a chassis or mounting panel of a unit ofelectrical equipment.

The outer edges 72, 74 and 76 (FIG. I) of the wall extensions 56 and 58,and medial wall member 60, respectively, are slid over and rest on thesurface of mounting tab 70 of the mounting panel upon receipt of the tab70 between arm 66 and wall- 20. Thus, the panel member is well separatedfrom the lamp and electrical connections to the socket itself. The locktab 67 is forced outwardly as the cam surface 65 thereof slides over tab70 until the aperture 68 in the tab comes into alignment with shoulder6?. At that time shoulder 69 is snapped into the aperture to lock thesocket 10 to tab 70 and the chassis. The aperture 68 is spacedapproximately the same distance from the end 81 of tab 70 as is the locktab 67 from the base support 64 so that the two will be aligned upon themounting of a socket on the panel tab.

of flatterminals 40a and Ma of the lock or snap-in type are received inapertures 36a and 38a, respectively, in the housing with ends 4 and donthereof extending into cavity 34a to make electrical and mechanicalcontact with the lamp electrodes extending along opposite sides of thelamp base.

Unlike lamp socket it), there are no upwardly extending projections ofopposing walls Mia and 20a to provide a protective shield or coveringfor a lamp received in cavity 34av The elimination of these wallprojections, however, allows illumination on all sides of the cavity,whereas in the lamp socket 110 the light rays were allowed to be emittedonly in two sidewise directions and endwise therefrom. Furthermore, themeans for mounting the socket Mia and panel tab 700 is somewhatdifferent from that of lamp socket of FIGS. 1- 3 In the case of socketi041, a protruding nib 90 is'formed integrally with and extendsoutwardly from the plane of wall a. Also connected to wall 2041, onopposite sides of nib 90, and near the vertical edges of wall 20a, are apair of opposing, inwardly facing arms @2 and M. The arms are eachL-shaped in cross section, with a first leg 35 of the L being connectedalong the sidewall of the housing and the other leg 87 of the Lextending inwardly toward the corresponding leg 87 of the L of theopposing arm. Between each of the legs 87 of arms 82 and M and the wall2% there is provided a space 86 (HO. 4). Tab 70a of the mounting panel,which is of a width approximately equal to the distance between arms asand 84, is received between the opposing arms in space as. The tab 70ais forced into space db camming over the inclined leading end portion ofthe nib @ii until aperture 63a in the tab 70a receives the nib 9ththerein. This locks the lamp socket to the tab 70a.

Once the nib 94]) is fully received in aperture baa, the lamp socket Miais not easily removed from the tab 70m. A shoulder 92 on the oppositetrailing end of nib 9t) prevents the pulling of lamp socket ltia frompanel tab 70a.

Although one particular mounting structure for the socket has beendisclosed, others are within the purview of the invention. By way ofspecific example I mention the connector disclosed and claimed in mycopending application for Side Mount Connector, Ser. No. 749,207, filedJuly 31, 1968, which is herein incorporated by reference.

While preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown anddescribed, it should be understood that the invention is not limitedthereto, since many modifications may be made. It is thereforecontemplated to cover by the present application any and all suchmodifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the appendedclaims.

lclaim:

t. A lamp socket for mounting on a panel member including an aperturetherein, said lamp socket comprising a housing of insulating materialincluding a cavity in one end thereof for receiving a lamp membertherein, a pair of terminals mounted in said housing and having firstends thereof extending into said cavity for electrically andmechanically connecting said lamp member thereto, the opposite ends ofsaid terminal pair connecting said terminals to external wiring forenergizing said lamp member, and means connected to said housing formounting said socket to said panel member, said means including aresilient member extending from said housing for snapping into theaperture in said panel member, said mounting member comprising an armconnected at one end thereof on a sidewall of said housing, said amextending in a direction substantially parallel to said housing alongsaid wall and including at the free end thereof an inwardly facing locktab, said panel member being receivable between said arm and saidhousing whereby said lock tab is inserted into said aper-.

ture in said panel member to secure said lampsocket to the latter,'saidsidewall including a plurality of projections formed thereon, andextending outwardly therefrom in the direction of said arm and whereinsaid panel member is received between said armand said extensions so asto rest on the latter. I 2. A lamp socket as claimed in claim ll whereinsaid one end of said arm includes a U-shaped base support member, saidone end of said arm being connected at the bight portion of said U, andextending therefrom substantially perpendicularly to the plane of the U,with the ends of the legs of the latte being connected to said sidewallof said housing.

3. A lamp socket for mounting on a panel member including an aperturetherein, said lamp socket comprising a housing of insulating materialincluding a cavity in one end thereof for receiving a lamp membertherein, a pair of terminals mounted in said housing and having firstends thereoflextending into said cavity for electrically andmechanically connecting said lamp member thereto, the opposite ends ofsaid terminal pair connecting said terminals to external wiring forenergizing said lamp member, and means connected to said housing formounting said socket to said panel member, said means including aresilient member extending from said housing for snapping into theaperture in said panel member, said mounting member includes a nibextending from a sidewall of said housing, wherein said mounting meansfurther includes a pair of opposing inwardly facing arms mounted on saidsidewall on opposite sides of said nib, said arms being spaced from saidwall for receiving therebetween said panel member, said nib beingreceived in said aperture in said panel member upon the receipt of saidpanel member between said arms, said nib including on the leading endthereof a cam surface and on the trailing end thereof a shoulderportion, said cam surface engaging said panel member upon receiving thelatter between said arms, and said shoulder portion engaging said panelmember at the edge of said aperture upon the receipt of said nib in thelatter, to prevent easy removal of said lamp socket from said panelmember.

4. The combination comprising a panel member having an aperture therein,and a lamp socket for mounting thereon, said lamp socket comprising: ahousing of an insulating material, having a cavity in one end thereoffor receiving the base of a lamp, first and second aperturesextending-through said housing from the opposite end thereof andcommunicating with said cavity, first and second terminals, each beingmounted in a respective one of said apertures with first ends thereofextending into the cavity for electrically and mechanically contactingsaid lamp base, the opposite ends of the terminals connected to externalcircuitry for energizing said lamp, and mounting means formed integrallywith said housing on a sidewall thereof, said mounting means including aresilient arm having a first end attached to said sidewall, said armextending along said sidewall at a predetermined distance therefrom, andincluding at the second end thereof a locking tab, said tab beingreceivable in the aperture in said panel upon the receipt of said panelbetween said arm and said sidewall of said housing, thereby to securesaid lamp socket to said panel, said panel member including a tab of apredetermined width having an aperture therethrough located apredetermined distance from the free end thereof, and wherein saidresilient arm of said lamp socket is of a predetermined length so as toalign said aperture in said panel tab and said lock tab, thereby toinsure the receipt of the latter in the former.

5. A lamp socket for mounting on a panel member having an aperturetherein, said lamp socket comprising: a housing of an insulatingmaterial, having a cavity in one end thereof for receiving the base of alamp, first and second apertures extending through said housing from theopposite end thereof and communicating with said cavity, first andsecond tertures with first ends thereof extending into the cavity forelectrically and mechanically contacting said lamp base, the oppositeends of the terminals connected to external circuitry for energizingsaid lamp, and mounting means formed integrally with said housing on asidewall thereof, said mounting means including a resilient arm having afirst end attached to said sidewall, said arm extending along saidsidewall at a predetermined distance therefrom, and including at thesecond end thereof a locking tab, said tab being receivable in theaperture insaid panel upon the receipt of said panel between said armand said sidewall of said housing, thereby to secure said lamp socket tosaid panel, a plurality of support projections integrally formed withsaid sidewall and facing outwardly toward said resilient arm, so thatupon the receipt of said panel member between said arm and sidewall saidpanel member rests on said projections.

6. A lamp socket for mounting on a panel tab of a predetermined width,having an aperture extending therethrough, said lamp socket comprising:a housing of insulating material having fou'r interconnected sidewallsand a pair of end walls, one of said end walls including a cavitytherein for receiving the base of a lamp, and a pair of aperturesextending through said housing from the opposite end wall thereof andcommunicating with said cavity, a pair of terminals, each being mountedin one of said apertures with a first end thereof extending outwardlyinto said cavity in spaced-apart relation for receiving said lamp basetherebetween thereby to make an electrical connection therewith, andmounting means including a nib integrally formedwith and extendingoutwardly from a first sidewall of said housing, and a pair of opposingarm members integrally formed with and extending from said firstsidewall on opposite sides of said nib and spaced apart a distanceapproximately equal to the predetermined width of said panel tab, saidpanel tab being receivable between said spaced-apart arm members so thatsaid nib is inserted into said aperture in said panel tab, thereby tosecure said lamp socket thereto.

1. A lamp socket for mounting on a panel member including an aperturetherein, said lamp socket comprising a housing of insulating materialincluding a cavity in one end thereof for receiving a lamp membertherein, a pair of terminals mounted in said housing and having firstends thereof extending into said cavity for electrically andmechanically connecting said lamp member thereto, the opposite ends ofsaid terminal pair connecting said terminals to external wiring forenergizing said lamp member, and means connected to said housing formounting said socket to said panel member, said means including aresilient member extending from said housing for snapping into theaperture in said panel member, said mounting member comprising an armconnected at one end thereof on a sidewall of said housing, said armextending in a direction substantially parallel to said housing alongsaid wall and including at the free end thereof an inwardly facing locktab, said panel member being receivable between said arm and saidhousing whereby said lock tab is inserted into said aperture in saidpanel member to secure said lamp socket to the latter, said sidewallincluding a plurality of projections formed thereon, and extendingoutwardly therefrom in the direction of said arm and wherein said panelmember is received between said arm and said extensions so as to rest onthe latter.
 2. A lamp socket as claimed in claim 1 wherein said one endof said arm includes a U-shaped base support member, said one end ofsaid arm being connected at the bight portion of said U, and extendingtherefrom substantially perpendicularly to the plane of the U, with theends of the legs of the latter being connected to said sidewall of saidhousing.
 3. A lamp socket for mounting on a panel member including anaperture therein, said lamp socket comprising a housing of insulatingmaterial including a cavity in one end thereof for receiving a lampmember therein, a pair of terminals mounted in said housing and havingfirst ends thereof extending into said cavity for electrically andmechanically connecting said lamp member thereto, the opposite ends ofsaid terminal pair connecting said terminals to external wiring forenergizing said lamp member, and means connected to said housing formounting said socket to said panel member, said means including aresilient member extending from said housing for snapping into theaperture in said panel member, said mounting member includes a nibextending from a sidewall of said housing, wherein said mounting meansfurther includes a pair of opposing inwardly facing arms mounted on saidsidewall on opposite sides of said nib, said arms being spaced from saidwall for receiving therebetween said panel member, said nib beingreceived in said aperture in said panel member upon the receipt of saidpanel member between said arms, said nib including on the leading endthereof a cam surface and on the trailing end thereof a shoulderportion, said cam surface engaging said panel member upon receiving thelatter between said arms, and said shoulder portion engaging said panelmeMber at the edge of said aperture upon the receipt of said nib in thelatter, to prevent easy removal of said lamp socket from said panelmember.
 4. The combination comprising a panel member having an aperturetherein, and a lamp socket for mounting thereon, said lamp socketcomprising: a housing of an insulating material, having a cavity in oneend thereof for receiving the base of a lamp, first and second aperturesextending through said housing from the opposite end thereof andcommunicating with said cavity, first and second terminals, each beingmounted in a respective one of said apertures with first ends thereofextending into the cavity for electrically and mechanically contactingsaid lamp base, the opposite ends of the terminals connected to externalcircuitry for energizing said lamp, and mounting means formed integrallywith said housing on a sidewall thereof, said mounting means including aresilient arm having a first end attached to said sidewall, said armextending along said sidewall at a predetermined distance therefrom, andincluding at the second end thereof a locking tab, said tab beingreceivable in the aperture in said panel upon the receipt of said panelbetween said arm and said sidewall of said housing, thereby to securesaid lamp socket to said panel, said panel member including a tab of apredetermined width having an aperture therethrough located apredetermined distance from the free end thereof, and wherein saidresilient arm of said lamp socket is of a predetermined length so as toalign said aperture in said panel tab and said lock tab, thereby toinsure the receipt of the latter in the former.
 5. A lamp socket formounting on a panel member having an aperture therein, said lamp socketcomprising: a housing of an insulating material, having a cavity in oneend thereof for receiving the base of a lamp, first and second aperturesextending through said housing from the opposite end thereof andcommunicating with said cavity, first and second terminals, each beingmounted in a respective one of said apertures with first ends thereofextending into the cavity for electrically and mechanically contactingsaid lamp base, the opposite ends of the terminals connected to externalcircuitry for energizing said lamp, and mounting means formed integrallywith said housing on a sidewall thereof, said mounting means including aresilient arm having a first end attached to said sidewall, said armextending along said sidewall at a predetermined distance therefrom, andincluding at the second end thereof a locking tab, said tab beingreceivable in the aperture in said panel upon the receipt of said panelbetween said arm and said sidewall of said housing, thereby to securesaid lamp socket to said panel, a plurality of support projectionsintegrally formed with said sidewall and facing outwardly toward saidresilient arm, so that upon the receipt of said panel member betweensaid arm and sidewall said panel member rests on said projections.
 6. Alamp socket for mounting on a panel tab of a predetermined width, havingan aperture extending therethrough, said lamp socket comprising: ahousing of insulating material having four interconnected sidewalls anda pair of end walls, one of said end walls including a cavity thereinfor receiving the base of a lamp, and a pair of apertures extendingthrough said housing from the opposite end wall thereof andcommunicating with said cavity, a pair of terminals, each being mountedin one of said apertures with a first end thereof extending outwardlyinto said cavity in spaced-apart relation for receiving said lamp basetherebetween thereby to make an electrical connection therewith, andmounting means including a nib integrally formed with and extendingoutwardly from a first sidewall of said housing, and a pair of opposingarm members integrally formed with and extending from said firstsidewall on opposite sides of said nib and spaced apart a distanceapproximately equal to the predetermined width of said paNel tab, saidpanel tab being receivable between said spaced-apart arm members so thatsaid nib is inserted into said aperture in said panel tab, thereby tosecure said lamp socket thereto.